Symbolic interactionism

This slideshow provides an accessible understanding of this particular social theory. Use it in conjunction with your text book, not as a replacement for your text book!

By sociologytwynham.wordpress.com

Symbolic InteractionsimSymbolic Interactionsim

Symbolic interactionists are concerned with Symbolic interactionists are concerned with explaining social actions in terms of the explaining social actions in terms of the meanings people give themmeanings people give them

George Herbert Mead founded symbolic George Herbert Mead founded symbolic interactionisminteractionism

The essence of symbolic interactionism is The essence of symbolic interactionism is that human beings construct their world of that human beings construct their world of meaning as opposed to meanings being meaning as opposed to meanings being innate within the material world around them innate within the material world around them

What the aforementioned statements means What the aforementioned statements means is that for example a chair wasn’t created as is that for example a chair wasn’t created as a chair. A free-standing seat manufactured a chair. A free-standing seat manufactured with four legs became known as a chair. with four legs became known as a chair. And so anything that’s symbolises a chair And so anything that’s symbolises a chair becomes defined as a chair. becomes defined as a chair.

Therefore the symbol creates a specific Therefore the symbol creates a specific meaning on an objectmeaning on an object

Chairs are constructed out various types of Chairs are constructed out various types of materials but remain known as a chair. materials but remain known as a chair. Moreover chairs are used for other Moreover chairs are used for other purposes other than standing on but remain purposes other than standing on but remain known as a chairknown as a chair

What’s important here is how the symbolic What’s important here is how the symbolic meanings are all shared by members of that meanings are all shared by members of that societysociety

This shared meaning extends into the social This shared meaning extends into the social world, because Mead argued people cannot world, because Mead argued people cannot interact without the meanings of symbols interact without the meanings of symbols being shared by everyone.being shared by everyone.

Therefore when people interact people Therefore when people interact people interpret the meanings and intentions of interpret the meanings and intentions of other people. For example overleaf............other people. For example overleaf............

For example if a person observes another For example if a person observes another smiling, crying, waving, or shaking a fist smiling, crying, waving, or shaking a fist they will put themselves in that person’s they will put themselves in that person’s position in order to interpret the intention position in order to interpret the intention and meaningand meaning

And on the basis of this interpretation they And on the basis of this interpretation they will decide their appropriate responsewill decide their appropriate response

Mead argues that by placing themselves in Mead argues that by placing themselves in the position of another person they are able the position of another person they are able to look back on themselves. To do this one to look back on themselves. To do this one must put themselves in the position of must put themselves in the position of others. Therefore the origin of the concept of others. Therefore the origin of the concept of ‘self’ comes from the ability to adopt the role ‘self’ comes from the ability to adopt the role of another personof another person

Mead goes onto argue that without this Mead goes onto argue that without this ability to be aware of the self people could ability to be aware of the self people could not direct action or respond to the action of not direct action or respond to the action of others. others.

In this way thought is an inner conversation In this way thought is an inner conversation with the self. By becoming ‘self-conscious’ with the self. By becoming ‘self-conscious’ people can direct their own action thought people can direct their own action thought and deliberationand deliberation

This sense of self allows individuals to be This sense of self allows individuals to be able to cooperate with each other by being able to cooperate with each other by being aware of what is expected of them. In this aware of what is expected of them. In this way individuals initiate and direct their own way individuals initiate and direct their own action while at the same time being action while at the same time being influenced by the actions and expectations influenced by the actions and expectations of othersof others

Herbert Blumer extended Mead’s argument Herbert Blumer extended Mead’s argument by saying that the way people act towards by saying that the way people act towards one another is based on an advanced one another is based on an advanced understanding of what is expected of themunderstanding of what is expected of them

This idea gives room for social institutions to This idea gives room for social institutions to limit the behaviour of people by creating a limit the behaviour of people by creating a framework about what is expected (normal) framework about what is expected (normal) and unexpected (abnormal) behaviourand unexpected (abnormal) behaviour